Movable display apparatus



May 23, 1957 c. BUSTAMANTE .MovABLE DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed lay 17', 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28 1957 l c. BUSTAMANTE MOVABLE DISPLAY APPRATUS 2 sheets-sheet `2 Filed llay 17, 1954 .vdi

l INVENTOR @garusamazz fe ATTORNEY t restrain from bending or twisting,

, the plane of the other conveyor. each guide which is oiset from the axis of the adjacent f sprocket of its associated conveyor by the same distance as the offset of the conveyors. j are chain driven in synchronism with the conveyors.

MOVABLE DISPLAY APPARATUS Cesar Bustamante, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1954, Serial No. 430,265

14 Claims. (Cl. 40-32) doubled, and reader'interest is sharpened due to the movement of the displays.

The display cards may be either flexible or relatively stiff. Flexible cards have the advantage that they can bend with the endless conveyor means as the latter pass around return pulleys or sprockets. However, they have the disadvantages of being dit`n`cult to mount on and` remove from the conveyor means and being diflicult to In view yof this, relatively stiff cards are preferred due to their ease of mounting and better resistance to bending or twisting.

With the use of stiff cards, however, special conveyor arrangements are needed to maintain the cards upright and parallel, and to carry the cards around the return bends 4of the conveyor in such a manner that the card fronts arev maintained facing in the proper direction. Additionally, the card supporting frames and the conveyor mean must be designed to conjointly maintain the cards upright, prevent jamming or twisting of .the cards, and provide for easy interchangeability of the frames and cards.

To this end, the present invention is directed to a novel movable display apparatus comprising a pair of vertically spaced conveyors operating in synchronism in parallel planes, and including rotatable guide means operated in synchronism with the conveyors, the conveyors and guide means cooperating to maintain a plurality of readily removable card frames supported in upright fixed relation and with the display cards facing forwardly at all times.

More specifically, the conveyors are endless chains trained over sprockets rotatable on vertical axes and both chain driven by a common drive means, with corresponding runs of the two conveyors being vertically aligned. T he conveyors are longitudinally offset `or staggered by a distance substantially equal to the distance between a pair of longitudinally spaced support points on a card supporting frame.

The sprocket on the projecting end `of each conveyor has coaxially aligned therewith a rotatable guide wheel located in a plane adjacent to but slightly inwardly of Thereby, the axis of The two guide wheels At pointstherealong spaced longitudinally by substannitecl States Patent() ICC tially the length of each card frame, each conveyor has secured thereto pins projecting toward the other conveyor. The pins on the trailing conveyor are longitudinally offset rearwardly from the corresponding pins on the leading conveyor by a distance equal to the oiset of the two conveyors, when the conveyors have been synchronized. Each card frame has a pair of sleeves or sockets projecting respectively, from its upper and lower edges, one pin being adjacent the leading edge of the frame and the other sleeve adjacent the trailing edge of the frame. The frame is mounted on the conveyors by slipping these sleeves over the correspondingly located pair of conveyor pins, the longitudinal spacing of the sockets on the frame being equal to the oiset of the conveyors.

Also, each card frame has a pair of rollers respectively mounted in projecting relation on its upper and lower edges for rotation about substantially vertical axes.k The axis of the roller on the upper edge is aligned with the pin on the lower edge, and the pin on the upper edge is aligned with the axis of the roller on the lower edge. The upper and lower rollers are rotatable in the Same planes as the upper and lower guide wheels. Each' of the latter is formed with a series of'equi-spaced arcuate notches in its periphery, of the same radius as thatrof the rollers. The leading roller on one horizontal edge of a card frame engages a peripheral notch in the guide wheel adjacent the trailing conveyor at the same time as the sleeves on the leadingy and trailing portions of the frame, respectively engaged with pins on the leading and `trailing conveyors, reach the forward sprockets of the conveyors. Hence, as the pins and sleeves move around the forward sprockets, the leading roller moves at the same rate around the guide wheel. Thus, the frame is transferred from the forward runs of the conveyors tothe rearward runs thereof while remaining always parallel to the conveyor runs.

f During such transfer, each frame is supported adjacent diagonally opposite corners on the convey-ors, and adjacent a'third corner on a guide wheel. The three point support during transfer prevents bending, warpingor jamming of the card frames. When the Aframes reach the rear or trailing ends of the conveyor, the two conveyors and the other guide wheel cooperatively transfer remainsparallel to the conveyor runs.

' embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation view, partly in section, of display apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus with a top cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 Vis a partially broken away vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale illustrating details of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic partial plan view showing transfer of a frame from the front conveyor runs to the rear conveyor runs. v

Referring to the drawings, the display apparatus is mounted in a generally vertically disposed frame 10 including a bottom wall 11, top plate or cover 12, end walls 13, 14, a curved partition 16 adjacent end wall 13, and a front wall 17 having an opening 15 for exposure of the moving display cards. Wall 13 and partition 16 define a chamber 18 in which is a rotatably mounted substantially vertical drive shaft 20 driven by suitable means, such as an electric motor 21, and `carrying upper and lower chain drive sprockets 22, 23. Y

Adjacent and substantially coaxial with partition 16 is a shaft 39 mounted on upper Wall or top plateV 12 and having fixed thereto relatively large, equal diameter chain drive sprockets 24. and 31. A drive chain 25 interconnects sprockets 22 and 24, extending through openings in partition 16. Sprocket 31 has trained thereover an endless chain conveyor 30 which, at its opposite end, is trained over a trailing sprocket 32 fixed to a shaft 33 mounted in top wall 12 of housing 10. A second chain ldrive sprocket 34, of the same size as sprocket 32, is

fixed to shaft 33 and connected by a drive chain 36 to a sprocket 37 on a shaft 38 mounted in top plate 12 adjacent rear end wall 14. Shaft 38 has fixed thereto, at a point below the plane of movement of conveyor 36, a guide wheel 50.

A shaft 41 is mounted in bottom wall 11 coaxial with shaft 39 and having fixed thereto a relatively large chain sprocket 26, equal' in size to sprocket 24, and a guide Wheel 55. Spaced from shaft 41, by a distance equal to the spacing of shafts 33 and 38, is a second shaft 42 mounted in bottom wall 11 and having fixed thereto relatively large sprockets 28 and 43, equal in diameter to sprocket 31. A drive chain 27 drivingly interconnects sprockets 23, 26 and 28 so that sprocket 43 and guide wheel 55 are rotated in synchronism with upper or leading conveyor 30 and guide wheel 50.

Sprocket 43 is the lead sprocket for lower or trailing endless conveyor chain 40. The rear end of this chain is trained over a sprocket 44 on a shaft 46 coaxially aligned with shaft 38 and mounted on bottom wall 11.

For a purpose to be described, guide Wheels 50 and 55 are formed with equi-spaced, arcuate, circumferential recesses 51 and 56, respectively. It will be noted that upper conveyor 30 projects to the left beyond lower conveyor 40, and conveyor 40 projects an equal distance to the right beyond upper conveyor 30.

At equi-spaced points along its length, conveyor 30 carries pins 35 projecting toward conveyor 40. These pins are spaced apart a distance equal to that between corresponding points on the upper edges of longitudinally adjacent card supporting frames 60. Similarly spaced pins 45y on conveyor 40 project toward conveyor 30. The pins 45 trail pins 35 by a distance equal to the spacing between axles 33 and 38 and between axles 41 and 42.

Pins 35 are arranged to slip into tubular sleeves or sockets 61 projecting from the upper edges 62 of frames 60 a short distance from the leading or front edges 63 of the frames. Similarly, pins 45 are arranged to slip into tubular sleeves or sockets 64 projecting from the lower edges 66 of frame 60 a distance from the rear edge 67 of the frames equal to the spacing of sockets 61 from the forward edge thereof. The longitudinal. spacing of sleeves 61 and 64 is equal to the spacing between shafts 33 and 38v and between shaftsA 41 and 42.

A roller 70 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 71 projecting from the upper edge of each frame 60 in coaxialy alignment with lower sleeve 64. Similarly, a roller 7S is rotatably mounted on a shaft 76 projecting from lower frame edge 66 in coaxial alignment with upper sleeve 61. Roller 70 rotates in the plane of guide wheel 50, and roller 75 rotates in the plane of guide wheel 5,5. The diameter of rollers 70 and 75 is substantially equal to that of arcuate recesses 51 and 56.

Upper chain 30 rides in spaced angle guides 73 each mounted on an angular guide 74 for rollers 70. Lower chain 40 rides in guide 77 carrying guides 78 for rollers 75. The guiding structures are best seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

Frames 60 are generally rectangular, and are formed with four channel edges. Adjacent lower edge 66, side edges 63 and 67 are cut away, as at 68, to allow relatively stili advertising cards 80 to be slipped thereinto. Each forward frame edge 63 carries a flexible strip 81 overlapping the rear edge 67 of the preceding frame.

These strips enclose the space between adjacent frames so that light from lamps in housing 10, where signs 80 are illuminated, will shine only through the signs.

Frames 60 are mounted on the conveyors 30 and 40 by tilting to engage socket 61 with a pin 35. The frame is then slipped upwardly to allow lower socket 64 to be aligned with a pin 45, and the frame is dropped until the pin slips into socket 64. This is done, for example, at a point where the roller guides 74 and 'i8 are broken away for the length of a frame 60. The frame is now carried by the conveyor pins and, as the conveyors move clockwise (Fig. 2) rollers 70 enter guides 74 and rollers 75 enter guides 77.

The transfer of frames between the front and back runs of the conveyors will be understood best by reference to Figs. 2 and 5. As a frame 60 reaches the left end of the conveyors, with upper sleeve 61 and its pin 35 tangent to sprocket 31, lower roller 75 will have entered a recess 56 of guide wheel 55 and lower sleeve 64 and its pin 45 will be tangent to sprocket 43. As conveyor movement continues, roller 75 is carried around with wheel 55 as upper sleeve 61 moves around sprocket 31 and lower sleeve 64 moves around sprocket 43. Frame 60, thus held at three points, is carried to the rear conveyor runs while remaining at all times parallel to casing walls 16 and 17. Flaps 81 of the succeeding frames ex to allow the leading frame to slip rearwardly past the succeeding frame.

When a frame 60 reaches the right end of the conveyors, upper roller enters a recess 51 of guide wheel 50 as upper sleeve 51 becomes tangent to sprocket 32 and lower sleeve 64 becomes tangent to sprocket 44. The three-point supported frame thus moves from the back run to the front run while remaining parallel to casing walls 16 and 17.

The display apparatus thus provided for fixed support of the frames at all times, with the frames always parallel to walls 16 and 17. Additionally, the frames are quickly mounted and demounted relative to the conveyors.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. Movable display apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor chains having their corresponding runs in substantially vertical alignment, the sprockets of one chain each being offset longitudinally from the sprockets in the other chain by the same pre-set amount; means for driving said chains in synchronism; card frame support means secured to each chain at spaced points therealong, thc spacing of said support means being substantially equal to the spac ing of corresponding support points on adjacent. card frames mounted on said chains and corresponding support means on the two chains being longitudinally offset by said pre-set amount; relatively rigid and elongated card frames disengageably mountable on said chains and each including parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges; and a pair of support elements on each card frame, each on one of said longitudinal edges, said elements being longitudinally offset by such pre-set amount to engage corresponding support means on each of said chains;

whereby, as the corresponding support means engaged by said support elements travel around said sprockets, said longitudinal edges of said card frames remain parallel to the chain runs.

2. Movable display apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor chains having their corresponding runs in substantially vertical alignment, the sprockets of one chain each being offset longitudinally from thel sprockets in the other chain by the same pre-set amount; means for driving said chains in synchronism; card frame support means secured to each chain at spaced points therealong, the spacing of said support means being substantially equal to the spacing of corresponding support points on adjacent card frames mounted on said chains and corresponding support means on the two chains being longitudinally otset by said pre-set amount; relatively rigid and elongated card frames disengageably mountable on said chains and each including parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges; a pair of support elements on each card frame, each on one of said longitudinal edges, said elements being longitudinally offset by such pre-set amount to engage corresponding support means on each of said chains; guide means mounted on at least one of said longitudinal edges in a-lignment with the support element on the other longitudinal edge; and guide elements engageable with said guide means as said support means travel around said sprockets; whereby, as the corresponding support means engaged by said support elements travel around said sprockets, said longitudinal edges of said card frames remain parallel to the chain runs,

3. Movable display apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair of vertical-ly spaced endless conveyor chains having their corresponding runs in substantially vertical alignment, the sprockets of one chain each being oiset longitudinally from the sprockets in the other chain by the same pre-set amount; means for driving said chains in synchronism; card frame support means secured to each chain at spaced points therealong, the spacing of said support means being substantially equal to the spacing of corresponding support points on adjacent card frames mounted on said chains and corresponding support means on the two chains being longitudinally oilset by said pre-set amount; relatively rigid and elongated card frames disengageably mountable on said chains and each including parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges; a pair of support elements on each card frame, each on one of said longitudinal edges, said elements being longitudinally offset by such pre-set amount to engage corresponding support means on each of said chains; guide means mounted on each of said longitudinal edges in alignment with the support element on the other longitudinal edge; and guide elements engageable with said guide means as said support means travel around said sprockets; whereby, as the corresponding support means engaged by said support elements travel around said sprockets, said longitudinal edges of said card frames remain parallel to the chain runs.

4. Movable display apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor chains having their corresponding runs in substantially vertical alignment, the sprockets of one chain each being otfset longitudinally from the sprockets in the other chain by the same pre-set amount; means for driving said chains in synchronism; card frame support means secured to each chain at spaced points therealong, the spacing of said support means being substantially equal to the spacing of corresponding support points on adjacent card frames mounted on said chains and corresponding support means on the two chains being longitudinally oiset by said pre-set amount; relatively rigid and elongated card frames disengageably mountable on said chains and each including parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges; a pair of support elements on each card frame, each on one of said longitudinal edges, said elements being longitudinally otset by such preset amount to engage corresponding support means on each of said chains; guide means mounted on each of said longitudinal edges in alignment with the support element on the other longitudinal edge; and guide elements, beyond one end of eachchain and centered with a sprocket of the other chain engageable with said guide means as said support means travel around said sprockets; whereby, as the corresponding support means engaged by said support elements travel around said sprockets, said longitudinal edges of said card frames remain parallel to the chain runs.

5. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim l in which said support means and elements comprise interengageable pins and sockets.

6. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which each frame includes leading and trailing edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges; and a ilexible ilap along one of the leading and trailing edges of each frame overlapping the adjacent edge of the adjacent frame.

7. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which each frame includes leading and trailing edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges; and a exible ap along the leading edge of each frame overlapping the trailing edge of the preceding frame.

8. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said support means and elements comprise interengageable pins and sockets.

9. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said guide elements comprise a pair of guide wheels each adjacent one chain and coaxial with a sprocket on the other chain; and means rotating said wheels in synchronism with said chains; each wheel havingcircumferentially spaced recesses in its periphery each engageable with a guide means on a frame as the frame support elements are carried around the sprockets by the corresponding support means.

l0. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said guide means comprise rollers mounted on axles projecting from the longitudinal edges of each frame.

l1. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 10 including tracks extending parallel to the chain runs to engage said rollers.

12. Movable display apparatus Ias claimed in claim 4 in which each frame includes leading [and trailing edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges; and a exible flap along one of the leading and trailing edges of each frame overlapping the adjacent edge of the adjacent frame.

13. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which each frame includes leading and trailing edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges; and a exible ap along the leading edge of each frame overlapping the trailing edge of the preceding frame.

14. Movable display apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the frame edges comprise inwardly facing channels formed with cut-outs to provide for insertion of a display card into the frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 930,963 Hosaka Aug. 10, 1909 1,288,928 Korf Dec. 24, 1918 2,679,705 Rainous June 1, 1954 

